What is the one thing you most deeply desire?
Howard Baker says we all long for a single devotion. Yet most often, our lives are
fragmented, torn between competing desires, demands, and responsibilities. As a way to answer
our deep need, we throw ourselves into work or activities or addictions. But devotion to a job, to
a possession, or even to a person is not worthy of the human heart, says Baker. He leads us
toward an earnest pursuit of "the one true thing" that simplifies and brings all the scattered pieces
of our lives into focus.
In The One True Thing, Howard Baker says that every human yearning at its core is
a desire for God, and God is calling out to us through our daily scrambles to control life. The
pursuit of God is the one true thing that simplifies and integrates all other things. In this small
book that addresses the largest of themes, the author uses great writers of the past and biblical
stories to guide us through three stages of pursuing God: seeking, choosing, and ultimately
valuing Him above all else.
Howard Baker has a master's in theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and teaches
Christian Formation at Fuller Siminary Colorado and at Denver Siminary, where he is instructor
of Christian formation and campus chaplain. He has authored Soul Keeping, coauthored
Transformation of a Man's Heart, and contributed articles to numerous journals as well as The
Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible.
CONTENTS:
Part 1: Seeking the One Thing - A Pure and Holy Passion
- Psalm 27: Seeking the One Thing over the Many
- Julian of Norwich: The Life of Seeking the One Thing
- Jesus' Invitation to Seek the One Thing
Part 2: Choosing the One Thing - A Magnificient Obsession
- Luke 10:38-42: Choosing the One Thing over the Many
- Soren Kierkegaard: The Life of Choosing the One Thing
- Jesus' Invitation to Choose the One Thing
Part 3: Valuing the One Thing - A Glorious Ambition
- Philippians 3: Valuing the One Thing over the Many
- Ignatius of Loyola: The Life of Valuing the One Thing
- Jesus' Invitation to Value the One Thing